Re: Blood in urine

[Debie__0__0]

Posted By Debbie on July 19, 1999 at 11:11:12
Dear Sir/Maam/
MY Husband has had blood in his urine. It started last week, on sunday. He had blood in his urine all day, then it cleared up and he didn't experience the problem again until this Sunday. (I do not think he is allergic to Sundays!!!)
He is an iron worker and has a very physical job. He said that he doesn't have pain or burning during urination, nor has he been running a fever. He does seem more fatigued than usual. Also he is a heavy drinker of beer. He has had some lower back pain and pain in the abdomen just under the rib cage.
I am very concerned about this but I cannot get him to let me make him an appointment to see his Doctor. Am I perhaps over-reacting? Could this be something minor? I only discovered the problem by accident. Your reply would be appreciated.      Debbie

[HFHS M.D.-BE]

Posted By HFHS M.D.-BE on July 26, 1999 at 12:34:49



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Dear Debbie,
The presence of blood in urine (hematuria) is cause for concern and must be evaluated by a physician to discover its source.   Blood could be visible to the eye as in your husband's case, or microscopic( visible with the aid of a microscope).  There are multiple reasons why someone might have hematuria, and each person's medical history is an important part of the differential diagnosis process.  Some of the causes are kidney stones; inflammation or infection; trauma; tumors; bleeding from prostate veins; blood clotting problems; and abnormal blood vessels.  Certain medications could cause irritation, as well, which would produce hematuria.  Some treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy, could also cause it.  Bladder cancer affects men three times more frequently than women, white men more frequently than black men, and smokers two to five times more frequently than nonsmokers.  In addition, there are certain environmental/occupational hazards which contribute to bladder cancer.  Workers in dry cleaning plants, rubber factories, and people who work around dyes, have a higher incidence of bladder cancer than the general population.  Since your husband is an iron worker, he is potentially exposed to unfavorable occupational factors that could cause malignancies.  Further, the symptom of pain below the rib cage may also be an indication of kidney stones, which could cause blood in the urine.  Sometimes, heavy physical jobs could cause bleeding from the veins in the prostate gland, which is another possible cause for your husband's bloody urine.  Regardless, he must see a urologist for an evaluation, since the earlier the problem is found, the easier it is treated without too many complications.
The appropriate workup for someone with hematuria includes: IVP (an X-ray examination), urine culture and urine cytology (looking at the cells in the urine), cystoscopy (looking inside the bladder with a scope), and possibly, bladder biopsy.  Once a diagnosis is made, the urologist will make the appropriate treatment recommendations.
This information is provided for general medical educational purposes only.  Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition.  More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its satellites (1 800 653-6568).
Sincerely,
HFHS M.D.-BE
*Keyword: hematuria/bladder CA











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[Buckeyes13b]

A related discussion, Microscopic blood in Urine and burning when urinating was started.